Topic: Visions. Eyes To See The Unseen. Category: Visions>
Bible Scripture: 2 Kings 6:14-23 and Ephesians 3:16-21.
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Let us go back in time. A time when great armies fought, kings ruled, and fear controlled, yet God was still working, ever present, fighting for the one.
The players in this real life drama are: the king of Syria, his servants and his army; the king of Israel, his servant and his army, and God, his prophet and servants.
Here’s the situation. The king of Syria was making war against Israel. He consulted with his servants about strategies and specifically where was the best place to make camp.
In the meantime back in the land of Israel, God’s prophet Elisha was warning the king of Israel, telling him the secret’s of the king of Syria’s heart. Including the location of where the king of Syria would set up camp.
The king of Israel followed Elisha’s advice and was one step ahead of the enemy king of Syria.
This greatly troubled the king of Syria, as he suspected there must be a traitor. It had to be someone close to him. He summoned his servant and demanded to know who it was.
His servant testified that Elisha the prophet in Israel had special powers and tells the secrets of the king’s heart.
The king of Syria was both fearful of Elisha and angry. He demanded that the servant go with a great army of horses and chariots to get Elisha, for he must be stopped!
Let us pick up the story.
eyes to see
2 Kings 6:14-18 Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
open the eyes
2 Kings 6:19-23 Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria. So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria!
Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.
physical and spiritual realm
How extraordinary. A simultaneous battle in the physical and spiritual realm.
Elisha, whose name means God is salvation, sees through God’s eyes into the unseen. He sees God’s vast army. Knowing that God is greater than any powers of both the physical and spiritual realm. He has no fear. Even though his physical life is under threat, He has a heavenly vision and lives with an eternal perspective.
The prophet of God is at peace, even when his life is threatened. His own name and life testifies of God’s goodness. God is salvation.
Salvation being the preservation, rescue or deliverance from harm, ruin or loss. It is safety or welfare, liberty, deliverance and victory.
Salvation is a work of God and reveals His character, splendour, majesty and powerful might.
God is salvation.
To see through God’s eyes is to have a heavenly vision and live with an eternal perspective.
Elisha sees through God’s eyes of compassion and desire that all may know Him.
Yet Elisha’s servant is fearful. Given that he cannot see into the unseen, the circumstances of this world overwhelm him. He does not know and see God’s vast army of mighty warriors bringing salvation.
Through eyes of fear and darkness the situation looks hopeless. Life without hope is no life at all.
Therefore Elisha speaks light and peace into the darkness and chaos. Elisha declares the truth of who God is and states, Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.
chariots of fire
God, the Lord who is salvation is all powerful. He is the commander and chief who had already sent a vast contingent of His heavenly army. He surrounds Elisha with horses and chariots of fire.
How amazing this must have looked. Chariots of fire! A heavenly fire that never dies, awesome in splendour and spectacular in motion.
Elisha asks for his servant to have eyes to see the unseen. To fold back the veil over his eyes in order to see God’s salvation and kingdom.
Elisha knows that seeing into the unseen is a work of God’s Spirit. Therefore Elisha, a human just like us, prays for his servant. LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.
Elisha engages with God and calls Him LORD. The English word LORD has been translated from the Hebrew language, the word Yahweh. This means the Eternal, self-existing, relational God.
Through the use of God’s name Yahweh, Elisha testifies that God is not a distant creator up in the heavens somewhere, disengaged with our every day life.
Yahweh, the Eternal, self-exiting, relational God is ever present in people’s everyday life providing salvation, protection and ultimate victory.
Yes Elisha’s everyday life and times were very different to ours today. Yet God never changes. He is intimate and personal, His Spirit is with us in every situation.
God is always working, pursuing in love, desiring for us to see His kingdom and glory.
He fights our battles for us, always interceding, but most importantly He is always there with us. Journeying together through the mountains and valleys of this life.
For a greater revelation of how God fights our battles please listen to our podcast, God is Fighting For Us.
God’s will to see into the unseen
Elisha is one with God. He knows God’s heart is to bring salvation to all who are willing and therefore prays he accordingly, LORD open his eyes that he may see.
For it is God’s will that all may know Him and see into the unseen of His kingdom.
Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw.
Now the servant sees into the unseen. He testifies that there is a vast heavenly army around Elisha.
The circumstances in the natural realm were intimidating, frightening and were controlling of the servant’s thoughts, emotions and actions. Yet seeing into the unseen changed everything.
When he saw into the spiritual realm of God and His kingdom, the chains of this world were broken off him.
He received the revelation that God’s almighty presence is actively working in the
physical realm.
For us today, in this challenging time, it is so important for us to see into the unseen of God’s kingdom and stand in His truth, love and power.
The truth that the circumstances of this world do not change who God is and who we are in Him.
Every disciple of Jesus is the church and the church is a prophetic voice.
Now more than ever the world needs to hear the truth about God, for He is loving, kind, good and merciful.
By His Spirit may we be a united voice speaking His truth into the sorrow, loss, fear and darkness of this world. That we stand and abide in His love, remaining in surrender to Him, testifying of who He is and being transformed in His power.
Just like Elisha who prayed for his servant, centuries later the Apostle Paul prayed for the church.
eyes be enlightened
Ephesians 1:17-23 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;
that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Just like Elisha, Paul received a revelation of the vastness of the unlimited riches of God’s glory. The splendour, majesty and radiance of God, that is His character and entire being. The work of God is a result of who He is, revealing His glory to us.
This is the will of God for His people and just like He answered Elisha’s prayer, He continues to answer Paul’s prayer. The Father of glory freely gives all of Himself in Christ Jesus, so that we may appreciate and live in the fullness of all that He has lavished on us.
God’s motive
As God does everything because He so loves, he continually gives of Himself and the eternal vastness of His riches.
He gives wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, to those who ask.
As He is greater, mightier and more awesome than anything we could think, hope or imagine. Seeing into His kingdom and living in that reality of it, breaks the chains of this world.
That is why the Apostle Paul prays that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened. That our deepest thoughts, including the sub conscience and imaginations be enlightened to know what is the hope of His calling.
That is His calling. His saving purpose in Christ Jesus, which comes into full effectiveness in the hearts and lives of all those who are willing. We are the riches of His glory as we are His inheritance.
To think that we are His inheritance, most prized and treasured possession is amazing. So amazing that in our finite mind cannot comprehend it. We cannot see it in the natural realm, yet the truth is not subject to circumstances, emotions or logic.
To see into the unseen is to know and appreciate the extraordinary value that God has placed on us.
the value
This value is evidenced in Christ Jesus, as is the incomparable power and exceeding greatness, strength and might of God.
In Jesus life, death and resurrection we see into the unseen for He is the visible expression of God. He has been exalted to the position of authority in the heavenly realms. He is above all powers, sickness, death and darkness.
Jesus’ victory was both in the spiritual and physical realm. He heals, protects, delivers and gives peace.
He is God’s gift of Himself to us. We are God’s gift of ourself to Him. The greatness of God’s power is towards us, that is every disciple. He fills, empowers and transforms.
In these challenging times may we see into the unseen of God’s kingdom and stand in His truth, love and power. Live in the reality of who he is and who we are in Him. Where the chains of the circumstances of this world have no power over us. For He is with us through the valleys and the darkest of places.
Ephesians 3:16-21 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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Sermon categories: son of man> love of God> hope and healing> know God> truth> power> end times> experience God> life> success in life> kingdom> visions>
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